You are stuck in an office with only 45 minutes to look into the disappearance of Dr. Celeste Viande, a scientist on the brink of solving the mystery behind the infamous Kentucky Meat Shower of 1876!* Using only your investigative skills and clues that Dr. Viande left behind, it is up to you and your team to find Dr. Viande's research before it self-destructs!
That is the prompt given to our students who sign up for our immersive learning experience (similar to an escape room). By using an immersive experience, we teach our students soft skills (such as teamwork, communication, and attention to details) and information literacy in a fun and interactive environment. Students can be resistant to learning new skills, especially if they think they have already mastered the skill being taught. Shifting the paradigm by changing the format of how skills are taught can have a big impact on student reception.
This session will explain how to create an immersive experience tailored to your patrons and budget that teaches soft skills and information literacy (both which will be further defined), and how you can adapt the experience to teach other skills. Whether you're interested in starting your own immersive experience, have questions about one you are already running, or just want to know more about the idea in general, this is the session for you!
*Based on contemporary reports, on March 3, 1876, in Bath County, KY, shortly before noon, a substance that appeared to be flakes of meat rained out of a sunny sky for approximately a minute and a half. Some samples were “preserved” and sent to various individuals, including scientists, for analysis; while no definitive answer was ever reached, the substance was most likely mutton. As for how it happened that meat rained out of the sky, again no answer was ever reached, though the predominant and most probable theory is that one or more vultures disgorged themselves while in flight, despite witnesses reporting perfectly clear skies.
**Vegetarians and vegans welcome! Eating during the session is discouraged.
